1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to ensnaring an animal, and more particularly, to ensnaring an animal more securely without harming the animal.
2. Related Art
Historically, one of the preferred ways to ensnare animals is with the use of traps. Modern traps fall into two main categories: kill-type traps and live-holding traps. Kill-type traps, such as the common mousetrap, are designed to quickly kill the captured animal, whereas live-holding traps are designed to capture the animal without killing or maiming it. Live-holding traps can be separated into box (cage-type) traps and foothold traps.
The foothold trap is one of the most common forms of animal trap. Foothold traps generally have two jaws that are closed by a biasing device when an animal steps on the trigger pan. The trap is usually buried in the ground just below the surface with a light coating of dirt or ground litter. A bait or lure is placed so that the animal must cross the trap in order to reach it. When the animal steps on the pan of the trap, the jaws are released to close and hold the animal. Foothold traps are designed to hold an animal by the leg just above the foot pad in order to prevent the animal from slipping the trap off its foot. Foothold traps may be designed to capture animals of almost any size by varying such parts of the trap as the type and biasing force of the biasing device or the spread of the jaws. Foothold traps are widely used because certain species cannot be effectively trapped otherwise without killing or maiming the animal.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show perspective views of a typical foothold type trap 10 in the set (FIG. 1) and sprung (FIG. 2) positions. Foothold trap 10 has a base 20 to which opposing jaws 22A, 22B are coupled, at least one trap lever 24, at least one biasing device 26, a pan 28 and a dog 30. Jaws 22 are usually movable between an opened position (FIG. 1) in which jaws 22 are spread apart, and a closed position (FIG. 2) in which jaws 22 are closed proximate to each other. Trap lever 24 is usually coupled to base 20 transverse to jaws 22 and has a trap lever support member 32 and an aperture 34. Trap lever 24 is usually movable between a set (FIG. 1) position in which trap lever 24 is in a first position and a sprung position (FIG. 2) in which trap lever 24 is rotated into a second position. Biasing device 26 may be a torsion spring as shown in FIGS. 1-2 or may be a compression spring, extension spring, leaf spring or any other device used for biasing. Biasing device 26 may be mounted on a corresponding biasing device pin 36 and is coupled to trap lever 24 at a first biasing device coupling point 40 and coupled to base 20 at a second biasing device coupling point 42. Dog 30 is coupled between base 20 and pan 28 adjacent to at least one of jaws 22A, 22B and acts to hold jaw 22A, 22B when jaw 22A, 22B is in the set position (FIG. 1).
FIG. 3 shows a side phantom view of a typical foothold type trap 10 in the set position. In this illustration, base 20A, 20B is in two parts. Biasing device 26 abuts base 20A at second biasing device coupling point 42 and abuts lever 24 at first biasing device coupling point 40. In the set position, biasing device 26 has a biasing force and applies a force 44 on lever 24. However, lever 24 remains in the set position because dog 30 holds jaws 22A, 22B in the open position (FIG. 1).
FIG. 4 shows a side phantom view of a typical foothold type trap 10 in the sprung position. In this illustration, dog 30 is displaced by an animal (not shown) depressing pan 28, such as by stepping on pan 28. The force of biasing device 26 on trap lever 24 moves trap lever from the set position into the closed position, forcing jaws 22A, 22B to close (FIG. 2) on the leg of the animal, ensnaring the animal.
Returning to FIG. 1, trap 10 is usually anchored to a fixed object (not shown) using an anchor 50, which is usually coupled to base 20. Anchor 50 may have a fastener 52 to fasten anchor 50 to the fixed object. Additionally, anchor may have a swivel 54 to allow trap 10 to pivot with respect to the fixed object and a tag 56 to provide information regarding trap 10.
One shortcoming in the art has been an inability to effectively secure an animal with a foothold trap without harming it. An animal that is ensnared in a foothold trap will often try to pull its foot out of the trap. This pulling may result in the animal escaping the trap or in the animal injuring itself because the trap is normally anchored to a fixed object. This pulling usually occurs during a period of struggle immediately after the animal becomes ensnared and again when the trapper arrives to check the trap. During this struggle the animal may generate a large amount of force by pulling or running away from the point to which the trap is anchored. When the slack in the anchor, usually a rope or chain, runs out, the motion of the animal may be halted abruptly. As stated above, this abrupt halt may cause the animal to escape, depriving the trapper of his catch, or the animal to become injured. An injury to an animal may reduce the value to the trapper. Additionally, it is undesirable for an ensnared animal to be injured if the animal is a domestic animal, such as a dog, or any other animal that the trapper does not wish to trap.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a trap that lessens the possibility that an animal will escape or injure itself after being ensnared in a trap.